AuthorTopic: Alttp - Horn of Balance (Read 209516 times)

Sorry, but I won't be releasing a testerdemo yet. Every time I get around to creating an executable I find another thing that needs fixing. The worst of which is a consistent full crash (specifically in the overworld luckily - for as far as I can tell), probably due to Studio needed greater care to resource handling or something I'll crack it eventually, but it might be a while before that happens I'm afraid. On the plus side: I'm about half way into making the menu's working like old again. Also, I've been tinkering with some core mechanics to get the pause mode working again.

Progress report:

0.17.18 Studio (19 september 2014)+ Debug functionality is now on in debug runmode by default+ Fixed issues in room creation scripting - rooms now start without errors/issues+ Fixed graphical glitch in character terrain effects+ Fixed error in running script+ Fixed error in pushing script+ Fixed error in idle animation script+ Fixed a number of graphical issues on the map menu+ Tweaked game settings to avoid tearing+ Fixed some graphical issues with magic meter

0.17.19 Studio (20 september 2014)+ Replaced set_automatic_draw() functions+ Fixed graphical issues text engine bounding box+ Fixed graphical issues sprites item menu+ Got the pause mechanic to work again (and simplified the coding significantly)+ Made it so the HUD is displayed corrected in the GUI draw event+ Made it so the item menu is displayed corrected in the GUI draw event+ Made it so the text engine is displayed corrected in the GUI draw event+ Made it so the map menu is displayed corrected in the GUI draw event

0.17.20 Studio (21 september 2014)+ Displaying screenshots now integrated into the master GUI object (=less resources / better performance)+ Replaced obsolete room_caption functions+ Some testers functions now also work in the starting screens of the game+ Cleaned up coding during titlescreen / intro scene to make it more manageable+ Adding tester functions to be able to check masking on the fly while in game+ Renamed solid objects+ Removed creation of masking sprites at the beginning of the game (based on new insights into the Studio's mechanics)+ Fixed error when Murray's dissappears

Just a short update to let people know I'm not dead or anything My graphics card died about two weeks ago (and I've yet to gain access to my old computer / files) and since then I've begone moving over to my new house. All in all I'm pretty busy with life right now, but I'll be back in few weeks times.

I make usb backups every few weeks so the project will never die, but that still means I would loose a few weeks of progress if I can't restore the old computer. And since I made a lot of progress in those last weeks I prefer to waiting for a colleague to recover the harddrive before continuing.

I've recovered all my older work and am now again working on the conversion to Gamemaker Studio. This will require me to go over every aspect of the game for testing so I might as well take a few extra months to also convert the game to 60 fps and add some long planned improvements to the underlying mechanics (like simplifying the coding structure and other things *cough* weather system *cough*). "If not now, then when" you could say.

Right now I'm working on the starting menu. If anyone want to help test that aspect let me know. Any and all help is appreciated.

0.17.22 Studio (31 oktober 2014)-Textengine is now set to 60 fps-Implemented constants for textengine settings-Recoded textengine to make it easier to understand and work on later down the line-Moved more coding over to scripts

0.17.23 Studio (9 november 2014)-Edited the controls on the starting screens. You can now also type in your character's name on the "enter name" screen.-Entering name now works at 60 fps

0.17.24 Studio (11 november 2014)-Tweaked response to pressing space while entering your name-Fairy on starting screen set to 60 fps

With the holiday times coming up things at work are starting to relax a little and I'm finally finding enough energy to work on my project again. Currently I'm tweaking the starting menu. Cleaning up the coding, documenting variables, fixing memoryleaks and making subtle changes.

See the attachement for a slightly updated "enter name" screen. Anybody have any comments on the added text / font?

EDIT: Now also added the idle animations to the file selection screen if you wait long enough. Just for fun really.

Just a quick post to show I'm still working on the project. Once I'm done for the day I might post a more detailed progress report, but for now there are some screenshots of the edited starting menu in the attachments. Like always: slow but steady progress is still being made.

0.17.25 Studio (15 november 2014)Added confirmation sound for every character entered on the “enter name” screen.Cursor no longer moves when entering the spacebar on the keyboard during the “enter name” screen.The following animations now use the same animation(script): gamefile selection, victory swing and sword release attack

0.17.26 Studio (16 november 2014)Cleaned up the coding behind the file selection screen (also opening up the way for multible character animations)

0.17.27 Studio (30 november 2014)Started work on editing the optionscreen setupSpead up screen movement on the starting screens

0.17.29 Studio (20 december 2014)Victory swing on file select converted to 60 fpsAdded idle animations to the file select screenIdle animations on file select converted to 60 fpsEdited timers on file select screenFixed a bunch of errors due to the Studio 1.4 upgrade

0.17.30 Studio (21 december 2014)Redid the HUD object (fixed errors/memory leaks, cleaned up the coding and improved efficiency). Also set to work at 60 fps.Fixed errors with in-game idle animationsTweaked Victory animation slightly

0.17.32 Studio (2 januari 2015)Credits work properly again (and now at 60 fps)Tweaked the controls and working of the 'enter name' screen a little againFixed ingame juggling animation speedBroke the options screen up into two screens (controls and other)Added tileset for dungeon 3

0.17.33 Studio (3 januari 2015)Finished work on the optionsscreen. Now fully functional again and at 60 fpsAdded volume options to sound/music engineReplaced last sound_volume functionsTweaked enter name and file select screens againDocumented all variables in the starting screensAdded tileset for dark world dungeon 1

0.17.34 Studio (11 januari 2015)Redid the death sequence(s) to work once again like before (and now in 60 fps)Tweaked idle counter on the titlescreenTweaked idle counter during deathCleaned up various character item variables (for more flexibility in the future)

I must say that it's quite daunting converting to Studio sometimes 'cause every issue solved is replaced with several more found. Still, I keep going, making small progress and making small (programming) improvements where I can. As off now the following features have been fully restored in Studio and work at 60 fps:- Starting screens (title/intro/fileselect/enter name/options)- Sound engine- Text engine- HUD- Death sequence(s)- Credits

If anybody wants to help out (and they can look past huge errors in other areas) then feel free to let me know so I can work on releasing a tester demo. I'd really appreciate it if someone would be willing to test the sections I believe to be finished. Again, don't expect anything to work properly beyond what is listed above... yet.

I need to play this again so I can critique it. I think I meant to my first time playing it, but I never got around to it. I do remember that it's fun though, so I'll have fun playing it a second time.

Here's another progress report. Basically I redid the entire digging engine (including something of an ingame editor) because Gamemaker studio handles external files differently then before. And I've now discovered the power of ds_grid as opposed to arrays.

0.17.35 Studio (24 januari 2015)Fixed errors when picking up heart containers or get chest contentsFixed images displayed in the new text engine

0.17.36 Studio (30 januari 2015)Build diggrid editor system to help recreate the old diggrid system

0.17.37 Studio (7 februari 2015)Halfway done with fazing out the old digging system for the new one.Fixed error when cutting up bushes on the overworldTweaked the diggrid editor furtherMore memory leaks plugged

0.17.38 Studio (8 februari 2015)Replaced old diggrid mechanics with new mechanics (still a number of issues left to fix)

Just another progress update. I'm continuing to learn more and more about what is causing the problems since the conversion. Big fixes include getting the enemies to move again, reintroduction of projectile collisions and lessening the number of undetailed errors (mostly caused by incorrect surface usage apparently).

The next big things I intend to tackle, now that the digging mechanics are fully up again, are the item menu and all terrain types. If anybody feels like helping; let me know what type of terrain/floor mechanics you feel are still missing in this game. Now that I'm focused on that aspect of the game I might as well add everything still left. Mechanics not in alttp that you want to suggest regardless are also welcome.

0.17.40 Studio (14 februari 2015)Fixed error when using stairsAdded fail-safe so the game can recreate used terrain surfaces on the fly if ever lost during gameplayFixed last known issues with new digging mechanicsDocumented all new changes / variables / objects in the last months

0.17.41 Studio (15 februari 2015)Added full tileset for swamp dungeonStarted work on tilesets for the dark forest and ice palace dungeonsEdited the creation coding of various terrain objects (to lessen the number of unspecified ingame errors)

0.17.43 Studio (19 februari 2015)Fixed enemy animationsFixed error when cutting up bushes with holes underneath themFixed error with character standing on diggable ground while enemies are around the move through the groundFixed collisions for friendly projectiles

0.17.44 Studio (22 februari 2015)Recoded sections of the item menu for more efficiency and less memory leaks

Sorry for the long wait. After a couple of vacations in the last months, I'm back on the case. Also all the terrains types have now been fully recoded to work within Gamemaker Studio and at 60 fps . I plan to release a public engine test next weekend if anybody wants to help me out testing it.

DISCLAIMER (to prevent disappointment on your part): I'm still far removed from converting the entire engine over to Gamemaker Studio so please don't expect anything near as complete like in the past. The next demo will only contain a single room filled with terrain mechanics to keep focus. Also: character movements and animations are still at 30 fps (which I'm working on) and you might run into a few errors / glitches (which is why I'm releasing it so those can be found and fixed).

Sorry that there was no engine test release this weekend because I ran out of time. Since I didn't know if anybody was even waiting for the release I decided to push it back on week to finish up some new features I started tinkering (see the screenshots in the attachement) with first. And like always things tend to take more time than originally planned. I do plan to release the engine test next week though as personal milestone.

0.17.50 Studio (8 maart 2015)Fixed error with the terrain surfaces while using dwindelstairs going upwardsFixed error with Leevers coming after Character while doing specific transitionsFinished tileset Thief's dungeonStarted work on the tileset water dungeon

0.17.54 Studio (22 maart 2015)Worked more on darkworld dungeon tilesetsFairies are no longer used if you touch them while at full healthFixed last known “gamebreaking” issue since conversion to Studio: objects in the next room would not spawn reliably. Finally :)Recoded additional terrains:– Staircases (also cut time needed to implement on map)– Friction Terrain

0.17.55 Studio (29 maart 2015)Recoded additional terrains:– Grass

0.17.56 Studio (5 mei 2015)Finished cave + turtlerock tilesetStarted work on the different indoor house tilesets

0.17.57 Studio (8 mei 2015)Finished house en shop indoor tilesets

0.17.58 Studio (9 mei 2015)Did more work on tilesetsStarted recoding the collision checking with terrain objects to clean up the code and make it more intuitive

Still alive See the screenshot for the new functional conveyor belts (lower right) and starswitches (upper left). I've also pushed the tester demo back a while so it'll be less broken then currently (although there is still months and months of work left to get it back up to the pre-studio level). If anybody wants to see it anyway or wants to help with testing to speed things up then feel free to send me a private message.

0.17.65 (A/B/C/D/E) Studio (5 juli 2015)Far along with a MASSIVE overhaul of a central game mechanic. There will now only be a single object to regulate all area data and processes instead of multiple.